ZAYN Ava's eyes widened in shock as colour drained out of her face, she opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. “Why?” I asked, trying to sound calm despite the turmoil brewing inside, “Why would you hide such from me?” She swallowed hard, blinking rapidly as she made sure not to meet my gaze, No words. She was so silent and it was killing me inside, I wanted to know why she would hide such vital information from me. I was already overthinking and I needed her to speak! “Say something already!” I said, my voice rising, “Didn’t you think I should know or perhaps this….our relationship means nothing to you?” She raised her head, her eyes meeting mine and they held an emotion I couldn’t decipher, “Zayn…I know you’re hurt but can we talk about this at home…somewhere private and—” “No!” I cut in sharply, “We are having this conversation now, Ava. Why won’t you tell me that we were having triplets!” She adjusted herself on the bed and hesitated a bit befor
AVA He left…. No, I chased him with my words. My chest tightened as tears streamed down my face. I felt empty as the ache in my chest doubled. The silence that followed after him was suffocating and what haunted me most was the look in his eyes before he left— It was like I stabbed a knife into his chest. I have never felt this way before, he managed to sneak into my heart and I tried all my best to ignore whatever it is that I was feeling, but I couldn’t. I loved him….so much, more than myself, but why did I keep hurting him? Perhaps I was too scared… He had shown me a different type of love, and it felt too real to be true. I kept having doubts, ‘What if he changes like Ethan?’ And I failed to realize the more I kept overthinking the more I took wrongful decisions and hurt him repeatedly. I couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if I handled things differently—If I’d stopped pushing him away, told him about the triplets earlier, or chosen my words ri
AVA I immediately rested my head on the table in fright, ignoring whatever that was happening around me. The only thing that kept resounding in my ears was that sound—A gunshot.“Ma’am,” Carter called out, shaking me slightly, but I refused to raise my head, my heart was racing with fear, “Ava!” He yelled this time around, but I didn't flinch.“It’s just a busted tire, you’re drawing attention,” Carter added, his voice now low.A busted tire? No, I’m certain I heard….. And that was when it occurred to me that I didn't see any gun, I’d only heard a sound and thought it was a gunshot.I raised my head slowly from the table to see almost everyone in the shop’s eyes on me, as they whispered audibly. Carter was right, it was just a busted tire and my paranoia had gotten the better part of me. He looked at me, his expression laced with concern, “What happened?” I ignored his question, my eyes scanning the room in search of the hooded lady, but she was nowhere to be found. My phone beep
AVA I froze for a moment, blinking rapidly. I didn’t hear him clearly, did I? A smile crept on my face, the answer was definitely a ‘YES’ but I needed to make sure he was in his right senses and wasn’t drunk. I raised my head up to meet his gaze, only to notice he had drifted off to sleep. He looked so beautiful while he slept. My fingers tracing the contours of his face and for a moment, I let myself believe this could be my happy ending, but— The smile on my face soon dropped to a frown as I recalled what happened earlier. I had been so focused on Zayn that I forgot about the threats, I had so many questions, one of which was, WHO COULD BE BEHIND THE MESSAGES? As I thought about it, my mind began to wander to the people around me. My Instincts were screaming at one person—Sophia, but suspecting her came with a lot of questions, why would she stalk me when we lived in the same house? And sending threats—it didn’t sound like her, Sophia was always outspoken, so thr
AVA “What’s going on here?!” Zayn questioned again, his voice firm and sharp. I stepped backwards, creating distance between Carter and I before looking up to Zayn, “Actually, we were….” “Ms Ava had a bit of distress and I thought to help her out, an insect happened to enter her eye,” Carter cut in, a stoic expression on his face. Zayn cleared his throat loudly, and I walked to where he stood, “Yes, he helped me get something out of my eye, are you done with the call?” I lied, I know I shouldn’t, but how was I supposed to tell Zayn what Carter had just said? Zayn's gaze flickered to Carter before returning to mine, “Yeah, no more calls for today. What have you shopped so far?”. I heaved a deep breath. Although he didn’t look convinced, but at least we could move past this. The store was multipurpose, so everything we needed was in stock. After minutes of roaming around, picking different items, we were finally through with shopping, Zayn paid and we headed home.
ZAYN I watched her leave. Of all times this piece of shit to show up it had to be now! This wasn’t how I planned to confront Sophia, this wasn’t the fucking plan! Ava…. I’d hurt her yet again, seeing her tear up broke my heart into a million pieces. But I had no choice— we needed a location— The private investigator I hired has been on my neck all day—The plan was supposed to be me catching then red-handed, but all efforts to find their private home was abortive, and so he suggested I propose to Sophia, she would want to relate it to Andrew, and then we can get their location. I was supposed to inform Ava this night before anything, but seeing Sophia lie and try to guilt—trip me when she had three kids for my uncle disgusted me to the core, and it seemed like the perfect time—the only regret was that I hurt the one I loved. Sophia broke away from the hug, a smile formed on her face, “This feels unreal, baby. Never would I have thought this was your plan a
AVA I froze, still unsure of what I had just heard, “What did you just say?” I questioned, turning to face him. “Sophia is sleeping with my uncle,” What?! How is that possible? “Then when did you…” “I found out the day we fought at the hospital, not only is she sleeping with my uncle, she is married to him, and they have three kids,” Fucking hell! This revelation was mind-blowing…. How did no one suspect? I mean….my mind drifted off to when I saw them sitting at the sitting room the other time, There were signs! “Ava, I know I have hurt you multiple times but this—none of what I said was true,” Zayn continued, now walking to where I stood. “Don’t come any closer,” I said, my voice low and calm, and he paused, “I tried giving you a sign, I winked multiple times and I know that wasn’t enough but—”. “But what Zayn? You should have told me!” I interrupted him, “At least beforehand, we were together all day, and you didn’t say a word, how did you expect me to fe
Ava’s POV“You spent everything?!” I exclaimed, my voice rising as my hungover husband stumbled into our room and onto the bed.It was 6am, but I hadn’t been able to sleep since I found out that he had closed our joint account on the count of bankruptcy.Ethan groggily lifted his head, his bloodshot eyes squinting at me. “Keep it down, woman,” he groaned, his voice rusty before he gulped down the hungover drink I made him.What a joke? I wasn’t even going to talk about the fact that he was coming in by this time.Tossing a pillow over his face, he muffled, “My head is killing me, just let me sleep this off, okay?"I was shaking in anger as I re-read the paper on my hand, “Ethan, our joint account is empty, and you want to do what? Sleep it off?”“I’m pregnant! I’m with child, and we have nothing but this house? What happened to our savings! What happened to…”“That’s enough woman, you wanted this and not me, so please don’t just start! I fucking lost an investment and all I want to do
AVA I froze, still unsure of what I had just heard, “What did you just say?” I questioned, turning to face him. “Sophia is sleeping with my uncle,” What?! How is that possible? “Then when did you…” “I found out the day we fought at the hospital, not only is she sleeping with my uncle, she is married to him, and they have three kids,” Fucking hell! This revelation was mind-blowing…. How did no one suspect? I mean….my mind drifted off to when I saw them sitting at the sitting room the other time, There were signs! “Ava, I know I have hurt you multiple times but this—none of what I said was true,” Zayn continued, now walking to where I stood. “Don’t come any closer,” I said, my voice low and calm, and he paused, “I tried giving you a sign, I winked multiple times and I know that wasn’t enough but—”. “But what Zayn? You should have told me!” I interrupted him, “At least beforehand, we were together all day, and you didn’t say a word, how did you expect me to fe
ZAYN I watched her leave. Of all times this piece of shit to show up it had to be now! This wasn’t how I planned to confront Sophia, this wasn’t the fucking plan! Ava…. I’d hurt her yet again, seeing her tear up broke my heart into a million pieces. But I had no choice— we needed a location— The private investigator I hired has been on my neck all day—The plan was supposed to be me catching then red-handed, but all efforts to find their private home was abortive, and so he suggested I propose to Sophia, she would want to relate it to Andrew, and then we can get their location. I was supposed to inform Ava this night before anything, but seeing Sophia lie and try to guilt—trip me when she had three kids for my uncle disgusted me to the core, and it seemed like the perfect time—the only regret was that I hurt the one I loved. Sophia broke away from the hug, a smile formed on her face, “This feels unreal, baby. Never would I have thought this was your plan a
AVA “What’s going on here?!” Zayn questioned again, his voice firm and sharp. I stepped backwards, creating distance between Carter and I before looking up to Zayn, “Actually, we were….” “Ms Ava had a bit of distress and I thought to help her out, an insect happened to enter her eye,” Carter cut in, a stoic expression on his face. Zayn cleared his throat loudly, and I walked to where he stood, “Yes, he helped me get something out of my eye, are you done with the call?” I lied, I know I shouldn’t, but how was I supposed to tell Zayn what Carter had just said? Zayn's gaze flickered to Carter before returning to mine, “Yeah, no more calls for today. What have you shopped so far?”. I heaved a deep breath. Although he didn’t look convinced, but at least we could move past this. The store was multipurpose, so everything we needed was in stock. After minutes of roaming around, picking different items, we were finally through with shopping, Zayn paid and we headed home.
AVA I froze for a moment, blinking rapidly. I didn’t hear him clearly, did I? A smile crept on my face, the answer was definitely a ‘YES’ but I needed to make sure he was in his right senses and wasn’t drunk. I raised my head up to meet his gaze, only to notice he had drifted off to sleep. He looked so beautiful while he slept. My fingers tracing the contours of his face and for a moment, I let myself believe this could be my happy ending, but— The smile on my face soon dropped to a frown as I recalled what happened earlier. I had been so focused on Zayn that I forgot about the threats, I had so many questions, one of which was, WHO COULD BE BEHIND THE MESSAGES? As I thought about it, my mind began to wander to the people around me. My Instincts were screaming at one person—Sophia, but suspecting her came with a lot of questions, why would she stalk me when we lived in the same house? And sending threats—it didn’t sound like her, Sophia was always outspoken, so thr
AVA I immediately rested my head on the table in fright, ignoring whatever that was happening around me. The only thing that kept resounding in my ears was that sound—A gunshot.“Ma’am,” Carter called out, shaking me slightly, but I refused to raise my head, my heart was racing with fear, “Ava!” He yelled this time around, but I didn't flinch.“It’s just a busted tire, you’re drawing attention,” Carter added, his voice now low.A busted tire? No, I’m certain I heard….. And that was when it occurred to me that I didn't see any gun, I’d only heard a sound and thought it was a gunshot.I raised my head slowly from the table to see almost everyone in the shop’s eyes on me, as they whispered audibly. Carter was right, it was just a busted tire and my paranoia had gotten the better part of me. He looked at me, his expression laced with concern, “What happened?” I ignored his question, my eyes scanning the room in search of the hooded lady, but she was nowhere to be found. My phone beep
AVA He left…. No, I chased him with my words. My chest tightened as tears streamed down my face. I felt empty as the ache in my chest doubled. The silence that followed after him was suffocating and what haunted me most was the look in his eyes before he left— It was like I stabbed a knife into his chest. I have never felt this way before, he managed to sneak into my heart and I tried all my best to ignore whatever it is that I was feeling, but I couldn’t. I loved him….so much, more than myself, but why did I keep hurting him? Perhaps I was too scared… He had shown me a different type of love, and it felt too real to be true. I kept having doubts, ‘What if he changes like Ethan?’ And I failed to realize the more I kept overthinking the more I took wrongful decisions and hurt him repeatedly. I couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if I handled things differently—If I’d stopped pushing him away, told him about the triplets earlier, or chosen my words ri
ZAYN Ava's eyes widened in shock as colour drained out of her face, she opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. “Why?” I asked, trying to sound calm despite the turmoil brewing inside, “Why would you hide such from me?” She swallowed hard, blinking rapidly as she made sure not to meet my gaze, No words. She was so silent and it was killing me inside, I wanted to know why she would hide such vital information from me. I was already overthinking and I needed her to speak! “Say something already!” I said, my voice rising, “Didn’t you think I should know or perhaps this….our relationship means nothing to you?” She raised her head, her eyes meeting mine and they held an emotion I couldn’t decipher, “Zayn…I know you’re hurt but can we talk about this at home…somewhere private and—” “No!” I cut in sharply, “We are having this conversation now, Ava. Why won’t you tell me that we were having triplets!” She adjusted herself on the bed and hesitated a bit befor
ZAYN’S POV The sound of her screams were loud and echoed through the hallways, but I couldn’t find her. “Ava!” I yelled, my heart racing with fear as I opened all the rooms once again, “Where are you?!” She didn’t respond, and I could hear her soft whimpers. My head was spinning as I couldn’t understand what was going on. “Zayn….please…” her voice trailed off, and I ran outside only to find myself submerged inside water. And Ava….was struggling to swim. The water was so deep and the current too strong as I struggled to swim forward. It was like I couldn’t move, no matter how I tried, and her screams were getting worse as she struggled to stay afloat. I kept trying to move forward, desperate to save her, but I felt someone pulling me back, “Get away from me!” I yelled, but the person didn’t bulge. My eyes were fixated on Ava as I tried breaking free from the person’s hold, “Take care of the baby, I love you” She muttered, trying to keep her eyes open. And then it h
Zayn’s POVI paced back and forth on the hallway, my heart racing with different thoughts. Who could have done this to her?!How were we not able to notice?The doctor hasn’t said a word since I came in, and it was like my heart was being ripped out of my chest, I couldn’t stay calm, no matter how I tried.The image of her face contouring in pain and her vomiting blood was still fresh in my head and…. I was scared. What if she…. No, I shouldn’t be negative. I promised to protect her… I promised her no harm, how did I not see this coming? Pain, anger, fear, was all that was radiating through my body and I needed to vent it out on something.I couldn’t wait any longer, The antiseptic smell of the hospital hit me like a punch to the gut as I pushed open the doors of the room. But I was blocked by some of the nurses and security, “Sir you can’t be here, you need to wait outside”. One of them said, holding me back.From where I stood, I could see her. My heart melted away, tears threateni